The earth rolls in an eternal state of perpetual change. A blue gem in an ocean of darkness. Diverse & intricate. Subtle & nurturing. Nature's places are sacred in their ability to shape your soul & rekindle your instincts - to reawaken the parts of ourselves that lay dormant.

The images presented here represent this interaction of mind and matter. The psyche's reaction to its external surroundings. A journey to come closer to the earth. If you enjoy these images, drop back soon as there will be many more collections to come.

Method:

Neither chemicals on film or a digital CCD chips reacts the same way that the human eye & mind operates in interpreting light. Predominantly, the brain plays a large part in understanding the color shifts that occur in different lighting. In the blue light of shadow and night for instance, we can still see a bluish gray piece of paper and know that it's white. Color correction is used to make the print look accurate under both normal indoor lighting and in window light. Finally, sharpening is used to regain the crispness the image has lost throughout the process. The perfect print seeks to restore the scene to what was seen in person, replicating what was originally presented as accurately as possible. If successful, a well executed image can allow the viewer feel like he or she is standing within the print itself.

Bio:

As a dual citizen I started off with a pretty unique childhood, with my time divided between New Zealand and Arizona. My college years were spent studying photography at Northern Arizona University, where I graduated Summa Cum Laude. During my summers I lived and worked within various national parks, including Yellowstone, Sequoia and the Grand Canyon. Those years taught me a lot, about lighting and optics for sure, but also a lot of subtle lessons about nature, like the cycles of the seasons, or the psychology of wildlife. For me that process of shooting brought the natural world itself into focus and deepened my love for it. Although I am fascinated by the science of photography, it's more the camera's ability as a tool for visual communication that's the reason I continue to shoot, a means to convey a message about our place within the world.

Within our busy modern lives, it's often easy to become habitual in our patterns of thinking, and to become disconnected from the more elemental parts of life. Great photography though has the ability to pull us back to a more basic awareness, to see in a way that's more expansive, showing us the world from a different angle. It can spark a sense of awe that invites us to look deeper. Photography that effectively accomplishes that goal aims for a sweet spot between art and journalism, both captivating one's attention while telling a story. In doing so, the camera itself should be secondary to that subject.

Within my own work, the subject that I've chosen to focus in upon is the natural world: the complex ecosystems and the diverse species that reside within them. I'd like my photography to serve as a reminder that within the cold, dark expanse of space that surrounds us, we live on a planet unlike any other we know of, one that is uniquely capable of sustaining life. But as civilization and technology progresses, so doesourability to influence the environment. Many native food chains have deteriorated, no longer capable of supporting healthy populations of the species for which they once provided. Numerous species that I've documented over the years are threatened or on the verge of extinction. It's unsettling to think that in some cases a wildlife photo may outlast the last of the animal's kind. But perhaps through the greater awareness that photojournalism can bring, those who see the value in preserving these might take steps to protect them for future generations. There are plenty of examples of species that have been brought back from the brink by those who cared enough to act. Environmental photography can help give people a reason to care.

Since moving to California from Oregon I've continued to seek out new adventures (most of which lately have involved a sea kayak and some elusive marine mammal). I'm currently refining my skills in fine art printing in preparation for future showings.